This is a guest post by Edwin Deponte, a motivational writer who is also passionate about Social Marketing. He believes in others’ abilities and tends to bring out people’s hidden potentials through his words of inspirations and motivational articles.
Why SEO Marketers Need to Observe IP Laws
It is easy to forget that laws protect the content we see on the Internet. Whenever a post captures our attention, we want to produce something similar or make it even better. However, it’s not as easy as you think. Some content creators have acquired a trademark registration, which makes it illegal for anyone to use their content.
If you’re an SEO Marketer, read on to find out why you need to observe IP Laws.

Image: Envato
Some Photos are Copyrighted
This is one of the biggest mistakes people make on the internet. Internet users who fail to observe IP Law often see photos as something they can just grab off online and reuse. Some will even claim it as their own after altering the image in some way.
While some material is considered free for fair-use, several photographers sell their photos online. So, you have to obtain a license before using or downloading the photos. This license will specify how you may or may not use their photos.
To Avoid Plagiarism
Plagiarism has always been rampant, and not just online. However, we were taught in school that plagiarism is not permitted. And everyone knows that you cannot re-publish content on your website and claim it as yours.
On the other hand, if you ever find inspiration in some other writer’s work, there is a right process or way to credit them.
Plagiarism itself will bring you into trouble. It’s even worse if the content you plagiarize is patented. And if you’re an SEO professional, it is important to keep a website’s blog fresh with keyword specifics, because Google algorithm does this for page relevance.
To Avoid Sharing Copyrighted Materials
Using copyrighted materials such as video clips, music, and movies is highly discouraged. This is especially important if you are a professional, which implies you have a broader Internet knowledge compared to average people.
When it comes to sharing movie clips or music as a reference for your content, you have to observe copyright laws because you are walking a fine line. While there are various online sites where you can stream or download movies and music for free, this may be illegal.
Wrapping Up
We all find online photos, videos, and various content we wish to use.
However, there are different types of licenses that let you do so. Commercial licenses allow you to re-use a particular material at a price. Fair-use and Creative Commons licenses may do the same for free.
Regardless of the specific license, keep in mind that duplicate content may hinder your SEO efforts. Google’s algorithms dislike duplicate content and your site may suffer a lower ranking.
As an SEO professional, you should be twice as careful about observing Intellectual Property (IP) laws to avoid common mishaps that could put you at risk!
Image: Envato